#HalfMyDAF Movement Spurs $4.7 Million in Grants So Far, Co-Founder Says

A movement to spur more giving fast from donor-advised-fund accounts has generated about $4.1 million for 442 charities, according to data provide by one of the founders of the effort.

California technology-industry veterans David and Jennifer Risher started the “#HalfMyDAF” movement in May with an offer to give $1 million in matching grants (up to $10,000 per matching grant) to the favorite nonprofits of their fellow donors who agree to empty half of their donor-advised-fund accounts and direct that money to charity by September 30. In addition to the $4.1 million given by other donors, David Risher says he and his wife have distributed $600,000 in matching grants from their own donor-advised-fund account and plan to distribute another $800,000 at the end of September.

He said he hopes that grants from the signatories to the pledge will top the $5 million mark by the end of September. If so, disbursements, including the Rishers’ matching grants, would exceed $6.4 million.

The Rishers say they created the #HalfMyDAF challenge because it’s more important than ever to move money out of donor-advised funds and speed them to charities in need.

Notable signatories to the pledge include John Palfrey, CEO of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger and his wife, Linda; Microsoft chief marketing officer Chris Capossela and his wife, Leigh; and Amazon general counsel David Zapolsky and his wife, Lynn.

The grants distributed by signatories to the pledge ranged from $50 to $400,000. Recipients include Feeding American and dozens of local food banks, the ACLU, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Lambda Legal, local housing groups, arts institutions, and churches.